By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
The Pace Vikings are by no means there yet.
In fact, some might say Pace has a ways to go before turning the corner and fielding a winning football team. But there’s some light at the end of the tunnel, and that’s the encouraging part as the Vikings open their 2014 campaign.
“We’ve had back-to-back 1-9 seasons,” said Pace coach William Deen, who is now entering his third year guiding the team. “We have to break out of that rut.”
Most high schools across the state began football workouts Aug. 4, but since the Vikings played spring ball in May, they had to wait one week before getting their fall practices started on Monday.
“Coming out here after having spring ball, we didn’t even take a step back,” Deen said. “We’ve just continued from where we were in the spring, so it’s been very good for us.”
One thing is obvious. The numbers have returned at Pace.
The Vikings took a big hit numbers-wise in their athletic program during the past few years due to Brownsville ISD’s re-zoning that coincided with the opening of Brownsville Veterans Memorial. The numbers were down as much as 50 percent in some sports at Pace when Deen first arrived three years ago.
A football program that once opened practice with more than 100 participants as recently as four years ago had taken a noticeable drop in numbers during more recent seasons. The Vikings now are boasting attendance in the 90s at workouts this week.
“It’s awesome to see everyone (out here),” said Pace quarterback Alex Cisneros, a senior three-year starter. “We’re a family team right now. We’re a group of guys who started off young and transitioned together to where we are now. We’ve gotten older, wiser and more experienced together. That’s why we’re feeling confident (about what we can do).”
There are eight starters back on offense, including Cisneros, and six starters returning on defense. For many of them, this will be their third year to start.
“I’m real excited because we have a mature group,” Deen said. “About 15 of these players are going on their third year as starters. Our players are doing a good job. There’s a lot of competition (for starting spots) offensively, defensively and even on special teams. That’s something we haven’t had before. There’s going to be around 55 players on our varsity roster, which is exciting.
“We worked hard to win the past two years, and we knew this year was coming,” Deen added. “I can’t say that the thought (of our potential this season) hasn’t been in the back of my mind (before). We knew we would be more mature. I think the biggest thing we have to do as a coaching staff, and me as the head coach, is to manage these kids. They’re not used to winning, and that’s something they’ve got to learn to do. We’ve been working with them about that during the offseason, in spring ball and obviously now. We’ve got to break bad mental habits (that prevent us from being successful). It’s not that we can’t perform physically. We now have to perform mentally, too.
“Will it be a breakthrough year? I don’t know. I’m not a predictor. We have a lot of things that we have to get better at. Is it possible? You bet. I think these players are ready for it. We just have to manage them right and get them on a winning attitude.”
The Vikings start practicing in full uniforms with pads Friday. They scrimmage Edinburg Economedes the morning of Aug. 22 at Sams Memorial Stadium and open the season Aug. 29 at Edinburg Vela. Pace will be playing in District 32-5A against Porter, Edcouch-Elsa, Mercedes, Donna High, Donna North, PSJA High and PSJA Southwest.
“It actually feels really good (to be out here),” said Pace defensive end Brandon Cano, a senior three-year starter. “We’ve got new guys coming in to go with our returners. We’re here as a team outdoors again. (But) it’s not so much like we were our sophomore and junior years. We (as seniors now) are leading this group of guys, and it feels pretty good.
“It feels like this is a season we’ve been waiting for,” Cano added. “We’ve endured a lot the past two years. Now we have a lot of experience coming back, and to be honest, it just feels like it’s supposed to be our year.”